Tag Archives: Jackie Meldrum

The Tory government is looking at reducing funding to Lambeth schools by up to 20% . They want to fund schools at the same national rate ignoring the extra costs of London schools.

Thanks to pressure from parents, teachers and councillors, the government’s 20% school funding cut has been delayed by one year – but the Tories still want to make the cuts in 2018/19.

Local families and your Labour councillors want to protect funding levels for our schools. Lambeth schools are in the top 10% of schools nationally with 90% of all our primary schools and 100% of our secondary schools getting a good or outstanding rating.

In the government’s latest budget statement on 23/11/16 the only mention of additional funding for schools was another £240m for opening new selective (grammar) schools, funding to Independent (Public) and faith schools to open new schools. These unpopular government proposals are opposed by most people involved in education and will do nothing to address the problems of ordinary state schools and the growing teacher shortage. Consultation on the government’s proposals to re-introduce selective grammar schools ends on Monday 12th December – see : https://consult.education.gov.uk/school-frameworks/schools-that-work-for-everyone/. Make sure you have your say.

Postal votes must reach the town hall in Brixton for Thursday 7th May to be counted in the general election. Completed postal votes can be handed in at a Lambeth polling station on Election Day if you forget to post your vote in time.

This is the tightest election for many years. So don’t miss out on your right to vote!

Helen Hayes is the Labour candidate for our local constituency, Dulwich and West Norwood. For details of other candidates see the council’s election web pages.

Our joint library-cinema project moves an important step forward this month. Picturehouse cinemas are organising two consultation events for us all to see the plans for refurbishing the Nettlefold Halls at 1 Norwood High Street SE27 9JX. Drop in to the Portico Gallery at 23 Knights Hill SE27 OHS on evening of Thursday 23rd April between 6pm and 9pm. Or take more time on Saturday 25th April between 9.30am and 3.30pm.

The proposal is for Picturehouse to extend the building and share it with a town centre Lambeth council library

Contracts have been exchanged between Picturehouse Cinemas Ltd & Lambeth council to lease the Nettlefold Halls and turn it into a four-screen cinema, with bar and café. As part of the deal, West Norwood Library will return to the Nettlefold site.

Helen Hayes commented “I am delighted that a contract has now been signed for the delivery of a cinema in West Norwood bringing us a step closer to realising the long held aspiration for the cinema and much-needed restoration of the library. I’m also really pleased that Picturehouse have agreed to pay their staff at the cinema an employment package that is equal to, or more than, the London Living Wage”

Lyn Goleby, Managing Director of Picturehouse, said: “This is the sort of building that we get very excited about – modernising and reinventing a place that sits at the heart of its community. We hope that the support the project enjoys will mean that we can very soon deliver a great new facility for West Norwood”.

Following the signing of the agreement it will take about 3 months to complete costings and develop designs ready for a full public consultation. To get an idea of how the new cinema-library will look see the posters displayed outside the building at 1 Norwood High Street SE27 9JX

Lambeth Archives, together with the Lambeth Local History Forum, are holding a month long heritage festival this September – a rich mix of mainly free events taking place all around the borough – with a focus on the commemoration of the centenary of the First World War.

The great news is that West Norwood Leisure Centre is opening its doors on 28th July 2014!

The project has a long history. It only became a real possibility once residents & local Labour councillors started campaigning with MP Tessa Jowell in 2008 for West Norwood to have its own leisure centre.

Jackie Meldrum, pictured with just some of the petition from residents, said “It was the tremendous support from local people that led Labour-run Lambeth council and Lambeth NHS to get together and build a joint Health & Leisure Centre. By working together we are making West Norwood a wonderful place to live. ”

Vociferous opposition to the project came from the local Conservative party whose leading members still remain opposed to the Health & Leisure Centre.

The Leisure Centre is on Devane Way SE27 0DF, opposite the Knights Hill entrance to West Norwood train station . It has a 6-lane 25m swimming pool, a 100-station gym and a dance studio/ group exercise room. Health services are due open in September.